Eternal Dreams
by AnImE-SuGa
Summary: Takes place 3 years after the rescue. What if Ralph and Jack suddenly attend the same school? Jack begins to like Ralph, Ralph thinks he's straight, what will happen? JackRalph fic chap 2 added!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

Ralph walked into the font hallway of the school. Yet again, another new school; a total stranger in a world of many. He braced himself again for a day filled with unfamiliar faces and new surroundings, so many people go by, yet not one of them will be anything more than strange faces in a strange new place. He was in front of the foyer of the school. It was a very tall room, about 50 feet, with elaborate corridors leading every which way. The hallways were intricate, where one ended, another started and where one was continuing a new one cut through in the middle leading into an opposite direction. The corridors, in Ralph's eyes, resembled a large maze, making him feel as though he was a mouse, searching for a piece of cheese instead of a classroom.

He stumbled though the halls dumbly, being pushed and nudged by others in the narrow halls. After wandering through five corridors, disoriented, he finally managed to find the main office. It was quiet, only the sound of typing could be heard from a secretary at a computer.

Ralph stood there, not sure of what to do next. Beyond the windows, he could see a perfectly groomed garden, consisting of many different fragrant flowers. The smell of which wafted through the open windows.

"Can I help you?" one of the secretaries looked up from her desk. She was a shorter woman, who was also plump. She had short spiky blond hair, and wore half moon spectacles.

"Yeah, I'm Ralph Varley. This is my first day at this school. Are there any forms I need to fill out or get?"

"Yes, in fact I was waiting for you, Ralph." she said to the brown haired boy. She started to rummage through some papers on her desk, and plopped a file down on the counter in front of him. "I just need you to sign here," she pointed to the corner of the file. "And then this is yours.

She placed a time schedule in front of Ralph just as he finished signing the form.

"Thanks," Ralph said. "Could I get a map too?"

"Sure." She handed him a map of the school.

Ralph grabbed the file and placed it in his school bag and then turned towards the door, he sighed knowing he would have to return to the chaotic halls and then exited the door. He wandered around the halls before he realized he had gotten himself lost again.

"Corridor 20...where is that?" Ralph mumbled to himself as he walked blindly looking at the map. He suddenly collided with a boy his age; he had blonde hair and glowing azure eyes.

"What the hell! Watch where the fuck you're going, dumb ass!" he yelled outraged. Ralph pulled the paper from his face, yelling right back "Why don't you! You're the one who walked into ME!"

He then quieted down, mouth wide open, when he realized who he was talking to.

"Jack?"

"Ralph?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Oh my God, Jack!" Ralph exclaimed. He scrambled to his feet to help the other boy up.

"Watch where you're fucking going, you fucking dumb ass!" Jack retorted, but then stopped dead when he looked directly into Ralph's big cinnamon eyes. He instantly fell in love. "Here, let me help you," Jack said, half blushing, for 'love' was on the rise. Jack hurriedly scooped up Ralph's books and shoved them into his arms, so he could grab one of his binders to cover the ever-growing bulge in his shorts.

Ralph was surprised at Jack's sudden change in attitude towards him. "Are you okay?" Ralph inquired to his blushing friend. A few people snickered as they walked by realizing that Jack had found a new fuck. "I didn't know you went to this school"

"Neither did I," Jack responded. "I mean, about you going here." Jack was really flustered. "What do you have first period?"

"Umm..." Ralph flipped through his mess of papers in his arms looking for his time schedule. "Instrumental music,"

"That's in corridor four. Jack showed Ralph on the map that was attached to his time schedule. "I have vocal after your class, second period." Jack's azure eyes studied the features in Ralph's face. His soft, pronounced lips (that he longed to kiss), his neatly styled hair (not a single hair out of place), and his big cinnamon brown eyes (which he was melting over). "I'll see you then," Jack finally said, after Ralph noticed that Jack was starting to drool, literally. Jack wiped his chin, then rushed off in the other direction, leaving Ralph all alone in the rush of people, now making their way to their classes, for the first bell had rung. Ralph rushed off to the music room.

He paused at the door to pull himself together, and then opened it. Eyes scanned the room for any familiar faces. One stood out. The eyes were brown and so was the hair, these features belonged to Roger. He glared at Ralph intently; it sent chills down his spine, down to his very soul.

Ralph sat himself between two people, one was a girl, and she had dark chocolate hair with blonde highlights and soft green eyes. The boy beside him had crimson hair, his eyes masked with purple contacts.

The girl turned in Ralph's direction, "So Shawn, are you psyched for vocal class this year?"

"Nah not exactly"

Ralph interrupted, "Vocal? Isn't this instrumental?"

The girl glanced at him, "No, there was something wrong with our timetable, we got sent to this class, I think the classes are going to he held in the same room."

"Oh..." He looked in the other direction.

"Where's Jack?" Shawn asked.

Ralph looked up as soon as he heard mention of Jack's name. "Jack who?"

"Merridew, by the way, who are you? I haven't seen you around in the halls" replied the girl.

"I'm Ralph Varley, who are you?" He responded.

"Laura" she replied and smiled, gingerly playing with the fishnet shirt sleeves she was wearing.

"And I'm Shawn"

"Hi" said Ralph warmly; he was finally making friends.

Just then the door opened, and in came Jack. A smile spread quickly across Ralph's face as soon as he caught glimpse of Jack's blonde hair. He sat himself behind Ralph and tapped Shawn on the shoulder; they turned around and whispered quietly.

"So, how do you know Jack?" Laura asked for the sake of making conversation.

"Don't wanna talk about it" Ralph replied quietly," Besides, you would NEVER believe me, even if I told you."

Laura giggled, "Nothing surprises me anymore. That boy behind me told me that he was stranded on an island with Jack." She pointed to Roger.

Ralph tried to keep himself from a nervous laugh.

"He's such a loser" she finally said, giving him a menacing look.

"Yeah, I know" Ralph said, trying to fit in.

Suddenly, he felt a warm hand touch his shoulder. It was Jack. "What are you talking about?"

Ralph turned around to face him "I was-"

The teacher interrupted him. "Calm down class, I have news"

She was tall, with long black hair pulled back into bun; she was thin and bony. She picked up a piece of white chalk and wrote down 'Ms. Berg' on the blackboard.

"I'm Ms. Berg." She smiled, "this year, since the budget was cut for the music department because the school invested in new computers, the school has decided to have both music classes in one period. I want vocalists on the right hand of the room and instrument players on the left side".

Shawn raised his hand, "what if you play an instrument AND can sing?"

"Then sit somewhere in the middle of the class", Ms. Berg responded.

The students got up in a chaotic and disorderly fashion and began to switch chairs. Ralph still sat between Shawn and Laura; he found this odd. Jack ended up beside Shawn on the right side.

"So why are you in the middle?" Shawn asked Ralph.

"I'm not!" he pointed to Laura, "I'm on the left of Laura, she's a singer... I think?"

Laura didn't respond. Ralph's logic didn't even sound logical to himself when he said it out loud.

Shawn laughed. "Okay, whatever"

"Alright Instrument players get out your instruments while the singers warm up", Ms. Berg instructed with confidence.

Laura got up and sat beside the piano, while Shawn and Ralph got back to their seats, both holding beautiful mint condition silver flutes in their hands.

Ralph walked over to the piano, "You're not a singer?"

"I am. I play piano too", she said plainly in an arrogant attitude.

Laura noticed Ralph was suddenly staring off in a different direction, feeling as if Ralph didn't hear she retorted, "Hello? Am I talking to a wall? Or has your brain gone out for a temporary vacation?"

Ralph was staring. Staring at Jack. Then he snapped back to reality, as he heard 'temporary vacation' from Laura. Slowly he found himself back in the classroom, listening intently to Jack warming up his voice.

"What?" he blinked.

Shawn caught on before Laura did and walked over to the piano, "he's a good singer isn't he?"

Ralph nodded absent mindedly, "Yeah, he has talent. I remember when we were twelve he said he could sing a C sharp."

Shawn laughed, "A C sharp? He's a baritone, three years can change a person, IF you know what I mean."

"What do you mean?" Ralph asked, puzzled at Shawn and Laura's giggles.

"Don't you know?" Laura asked, trying to keep a straight face, which for her was impossible.

"Obviously not," Shawn stole Ralph's answer, before he could even process the question.

"What about Jack?" Ralph asked, his brow in a furrow.

"Yea, what about me?" Jack asked, as he made his way over to the trio over at the piano.

"Ralph here doesn't _know_ Hun." Laura answered Jack.

"Yeah, well, unless I'm sucking his cock, it's none of his business." Jack repeated his new motto he had gotten from the television show Queer as Folk.

"Jack..." Ralph whined. "What do you mean by that? Are you gay?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Jack, what do you mean by that?" Ralph whined.

"Nothing," Jack blushed. He couldn't tell Ralph that he liked him, at lest not yet. "It's none of your business, that's all that it means. I wasn't implying anything." Laura just sat there and giggled. Shawn stooped down to Laura and whispered something into her ear.

"Okay," Laura said, seeming a little depressed.

"Look, Jack, I don't know what's going on here, but -"

"All right everyone," Ms. Berg said. "Settle down, we need to warm up our instruments and vocals. Let's start with a B flat concert pitch." She picked up her baton. The three boys ran and sat down in their seats. Ralph and Shawn picked up their flutes, and played their scale, with the rest of the band, and the vocal half of the group sang their notes.

School was over for the day and the four teens headed off to Jack's flat. They made their way down Main Street, passing the local Butchers', The Plough Pub, and The Red Lion Pub as well, past the little post office, towards the church.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting year in music class." Ralph said.

"You're telling me." Jack said, checking out Ralph's body. "So, what are you doing after school, Ralph?"

"I don't know. You three are the only friend I have here, so I'm not doing anything else."

"Do you want to come over to my place? I have my own flat here in Farnsfield."

"Your own flat? You mean no parents? You live by yourself?" Ralph's sudden string of questions surprised Jack.

"Yes, my own flat." Jack said slowly, as if he was talking to a wall, which just wasn't listening.

"Yeah, of course I'll come over." Ralph exclaimed.

"Are we still invited?" Shawn asked, referring to himself and Laura.

"If you want," Jack answered.

"The more the merrier." Laura giggled, taking Jack's words sexually.

"So, we're going to have an orgy, then?" The four teens all laughed at the joke. Ralph was feeling especially good, that he had made some friends on his first day. He was still uneasy about Jack. It was really odd for Ralph to see him acting so normal, as if they were long time friends. The four teens walked down the street, and past the church. It was a little church, with a clock tower, that rang every fifteen minutes. The old hand- laid sandstone bricks worn by the long years, now had some moss growing on them, giving the bottom half of the church a slight green coloration. Ralph looked up at the brass numbers and clock hands, to see it was already almost four o'clock. Ralph followed the other three down a little road called Eaton Close, which basically consisted of a small paved courtyard for cars, and four houses whose garages opened into the paved court. Jack went to the first house on the right, number four, and went through the gate, leading to the back of the house. The others followed suit. Jack removed his key from his pocket, and stepped into the house. Ralph immediately followed him in.

"Welcome to my house." Jack said warmly as Ralph's eyes went wide, looking at all the stuff in the room. "You can just put your stuff here, on the other side of the door," Jack indicated a small cloakroom, brushing some of his golden hair from his eyes, and walking into the kitchen, right where the door was. Ralph was in amazement of the amount of stuff that was in the house. Just in the kitchen with adjoining family room, there was a stainless steel table, with four wooden chairs, a water heater/stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer, 60 inch LCD television with ALL the sky channels, two black leather couches, an eight speaker surround-sound system at the telly, with DVD. The room was painted in modern purples and reds, with black carpets. "Wow," Ralph gasped as he took in the sight of wealth.

"It's not much," Jack started.

"C'mon, don't give us that crap again." Laura said, knowing full well, that this was Jack's dream house.

Everybody sat on the ebony couches except Ralph who seemed to still be taking in his surroundings. Shawn and Laura looked at each other and laughed at Ralph's odd behavior.

"Is he like this all the time?" Laura asked Jack, over Shawn.

"I dunno, I really don't think so." Jack responded just as puzzled as Laura was at his behavior. "You know, you can sit down," Jack voiced loudly so Ralph would snap out of his trance.

"Huh? Oh ... okay," Ralph felt embarrassed, what had gotten into him all of a sudden? He found himself sitting next to Jack, maybe a little to close. Their legs were touching. It was making Ralph uncomfortable. Jack seemed to grin at the contact, enjoying the touch. He knew it wouldn't be long before Ralph would move over.

"So, did Monica say she was coming over, today?" Jack asked curiously, shifting his position slightly.

"Argh ... no, thank God," Laura said dreading the idea of her sister coming over.

"Who?" Ralph asked.

"Monica," everyone said at once in different tones.

"Who's that?" he started to feel dumb now.

The other two boys replied in monotone. "Laura's sister."

"It doesn't seem that you like her too much."

"I do, it's just, well ... we don't always get along," Laura replied, somewhat annoyed.

"I like her," Shawn said.

"Me, too," Jack added. The two boys looked at each other and smiled, "Not in that way." They said in unison, laughing.

"Yeah, you and Monica are at war, aren't you, Laura?" Jack joked.

"Shut up!" Laura pushed Jack straight into Ralph.

"OW! You elbowed me in the stomach!" Ralph yelped in pain.

Jack shrugged, "It's not my fault." Just then there was a knock at the door, and someone stepped in.

"Hello, everybody," the voice belonged to no one else but Monica. Laura just sat there and pouted, now that her sister was here.

"I didn't think you were coming over today." Laura said. She was really agitated by her sister's presence. Monica was the shortest of the group, and also the youngest. She was about ten, whereas the others were fifteen and sixteen. She had the same chocolate hair as her sister, but without the highlights. She had brown eyes that seemed to glow with vitality and innocence, the same innocence that Jack had lost back on the island three years previous.

Monica came in and sat down beside Ralph.

"Who are you?" Monica asked in a cheery voice.

"I'm Ralph,"

"Monica," Laura moaned. "Don't be so rude."

"No, it's alright." Ralph explained to Laura. "I'm used to little kids."

"Hey! Who are you calling little?" Monica queried Ralph, as he patted her on the head.

The sun was setting, and the time was ticking away before Ralph noticed that he forgot something.

"Shit, Jack, I forgot my flute at school. I need it because I have to practice tonight. That Ms. Berg gave us stupid test for tomorrow."

"Shit, yeah!" Jack answered, standing up.

"Well, we should be getting home anyways." Laura said for her and her sister.

"Me too," Shawn added. All the teens got dressed for the outdoors, and left the house, Jack locking the door behind them all. Jack and Ralph took off at a run for the school. They soon reached the school. Jack tugged at the closest door. It opened.

"Wow! We're lucky the school is still open." Ralph said.

"It shouldn't be. Let's just hurry." Jack replied. The two boys ran into the music room.

"Where is it?" Jack asked.

"It's in the back room." Ralph said, rushing over to the other side of the room. He rummaged around the many selves looking for his flute, which had seemed to disappear. He was frustrated.

"It's gone! It's like it grew legs and walked away!"

"It couldn't have!" Jack said walking over helping Ralph look through the instruments, "what number is on your case?"

"Seven, lucky number seven", Ralph replied now feeling that the number was unlucky. A slow and subtle breeze came in and gently pushed the door shut.

Click.

"What was that?" Jack said.

"I don't know," Ralph responded. Jack calmly walked over to the door, and pushed it, trying to open it.

"It's locked!"

"Stop joking around Jack!"

"...I'm not"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ralph walked up to the door and jiggled the handle, first gently, then with frustrating power.

"What are we gunna do now?" Jack asked disappointed, "it's bad enough we spend six and a half hours at school during the day, now we gotta spend the night here too?"

"Err... well, think of it this way, at least we can get a head start on that music test if we practice tonight" Ralph replied, trying to make the best of a bad situation, "that is, if I can find my flute"

Jack walked over to Ralph and placed his hand on Ralph's crotch. "I think I found your flute right here." Jack said seductively, feeling the member swell from being touched. Ralph closed his eyes for a split second, and then pushed Jack off.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Jack?" Ralph yelled.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Jack suddenly retorted bitterly.

"I don't care what it is, I don't like it! I'm not gay!"

"Neither am I, but I'm not straight either!"

Ralph blinked, "you're bisexual?"

"...Yeah" Jack answered quietly and reluctantly.

They sat down on the ground in complete silence for a while. The only thing you could hear was the ticking on the second hand on the clock, tick ticking away.

"It's weird" Ralph suddenly spoke up loud enough to be barely audible.

"What is" Jack turned to look at him.

"On the Island" Ralph was only able to cough up a three-word answer.

"What about it?" he asked now curious.

"I used to hate you. I hated you so much that I couldn't even look at you anymore. Over here, it's like none of it ever happened. I actually... like you"

Ralph crawled on all fours over to where Jack was. He places a kiss on his soft teen lips. Jack was taken aback by the sudden movement, but then kissed back. Ralph felt something besides Jacks lips. Ralph then opened his mouth, and accepted Jacks tongue. The two boy's tongues danced over each other's, and explored the others mouth.

Ralph started to explore Jack's body, with his hands. Ralph's right hand found its way over to Jack's waist. Ralph put his hand up Jack's shirt, feeling Jack's six-pack abs. Feeling the muscles on the other teens body excited Ralph, and he let a little moan.

Jack moaned in response. Jack then pulled away from Ralph, and lifted his shirt, and pulling it over his head. Jack exposed is torso to the air, his nipples going hard at the sudden blast of cooler air being ejected from the ventilation system in the room. Ralph reached over to Jack to feel his chest, to let his hands wander over Jack's warm body.

Ralph took off his shit now too; to feed Jack with the same desire that Jack was fueling him with. Ralph wasn't as muscular as Jack, but there was some definite muscular activity going on under his soft, pale flesh.

Both boys were completely hairless, as far as they had seen each other. The two boys started kissing and caressing each other's body with the same nurturing touch. Both boys were being driven wild with passion for each other.

Ralph all of a sudden pushed himself off of Jack.

"What the fuck am I doing?" he asked himself out loud.

"I'd say you were having sex with me." Jack answered Ralph's rhetorical question.

"No!" Ralph shouted. "That's impossible. I'm not a fucking faggot!"

"Well neither am I, in case you forgot," Jack said, now a little agitated at Ralph's last words.

"Well, I'm going to sleep now." Ralph protested. "Don't you dare try anything while I'm sleeping."

"Okay," Jack answered. "I'll leave you alone, on the other side of the room, then."

Ralph crawled over to the other side of the room, and cured up into a little ball and fell asleep. Jack sat and watched him from the other side of the room. He watched Ralph's eyelids slowly fall over his beautiful cinnamon eyes. He watched as his hairless torso rose and fell with his steady breath. He watched Ralph until he himself fell asleep.

"What the hell?" Ms. Berg shouted as she walked into the classroom.

There was Jack and Ralph curled into a passionate embrace, sleeping. Ralph stared to stir.

"What the hell, Jack? I told you to stay away from me, to NOT sleep with me like that."

Jack was wide awake now, neither boy aware of the teacher in the room.

"You're the one that came over and slept with me! I watched you last night. You were sleeping, and you crawled your way over to me, and put your arms around me."

"Excuse me boys," The boys jumped, now aware that there was someone else in the room. "What are you doing here?"

This wouldn't be the first time Jack was caught on school property engaged in some sort of sensual or sexual activity, so this didn't surprise her much.

"Oh, Ms. Berg!" Ralph grabbed his shirt and quickly put it on. "We came back last night to get my flute, because I left it here, and I needed to practice for today's test. The wind blew the door shut, and it locked and ..." Ralph was panicking. Jack just sat up slowly. He noticed that Ms. Berg was checking him out.

She sighed shaking her head, "Okay Jack this is the fourth time in your history at this school where we have caught you engaging in inappropriate behavior with other students at this school. Come see me after school, we'll call your parents"

She left the room; after all, school didn't start for another two hours.

"You've been caught doing what four times at the school with other students?" Ralph asked in confusion, almost mimicking Ms. Berg's voice.

"Stuff" Jack replied, unwilling to say anymore.

"What stuff, tell me" Ralph was being persistent, and was unknowingly setting off Jack's nerves.

"STUFF, OKAY? Now go shove off and out of my business!" Jack suddenly hissed between his teeth.

"Okay, don't get all angry, I didn't do anything!" He crossed his arms and pouted sitting on a chair. "Why are you so angry all of a sudden, I didn't do anything wrong!"

"It's not that, it's just that I'm going to get in trouble again, this isn't the first time I've been in trouble at this school and the headmaster said that if I get in trouble one more time, I'll be expelled"

"Oh... but you didn't do anything wrong! How can you get in trouble? "

Jack grinned, "Oh, I believe we were both just caught sleeping together in the music room by a teacher"

Sarcasm was ringing throughout Jack's voice. It was unmistakable. It was clear he was going to be in trouble, but was he really going to get expelled for the smallest of things?

Ralph thought quietly, playing with the end of his shirt when it hit him. "The stuff you were doing those other four times, were you having sex in the school?"

Jack didn't answer.

"You did, didn't you?"

"So what if I did? It's none of your business"

Jack got up and walked out of the music room quietly. Ralph sat there thinking; should he go after him or let him cool off?

The day went by painfully slow; minutes seemed like hours and the heat of the day was affecting all the students who sat in class, fidgeting in their seats, dying of heat. Some of the students sat in their chairs fanning themselves. The air conditioning in the school had blown a fuse; it would be at least a week before they would feel the cold, recycled air from the fans again.

This was history class. A very boring class to Ralph, he leaned to the right and whispered to Laura, who had ended up in the same class as him.

"Did you see Jack today?" He asked curiously, a bit worried that Jack was angry at him.

"Yeah. He seemed to be in a REALLY bad mood" she replied shrugging, "I wonder why though"

"I might have gotten him mad"

"Huh? How?" Laura was now giving Ralph her full attention.

"I got locked in with him in the music room last night...n' some stuff happened" He was blushing.

Laura grinned, "I hope I'm not taking this the wrong way...so what happened?"

"Well erm... the teacher came in and we were caught, he got in trouble, I don't understand why, and when I figured it out, I asked him if it was true, and he got angry" his voice was as low as a whisper, he didn't want to catch anybody's attention.

"Figure out what was true?" Ralph had lost Laura through his quick and vague explanation.

"Did he get caught having sex in the school before?"

"...Maybe... yeah"

"How do you know? You weren't involved were you?"

"No. But it caused me and him to have a fight"

"Why?" Ralph was now curious.

"I don't want to talk about it in history class, we both have a spare after this, we'll talk then".

The bell rang. Many people came flooding through the halls as if they were in a rush to get to class, though many weren't and just wanted to beat the crowds. Laura and Ralph walked, being pushed around until the halls became desolate and empty.

Laura sat down, Ralph soon joined.

"So what was so important you didn't want to talk about it in class?" he asked now really curious to hear what Laura had to say.

Laura pulled out a rectangular object covered in black velvet, when she uncovered them, they were a deck of black tarot cards. She smiled and began to place the cards face down in a lovely arrangement, the cards in the middle face up, being focused on.

"You see these cards?" she pointed to the three of them face up.

"Yes. What does this have to do with anything?"

"These are La mort, La tour and l'imbécile"

"What?" Ralph blinked, "I'm no good at French"

"It means, Death, the tower, and the fool, they're not good cards to pull out of a deck"

"Oh, I see, so what does this have to do with Jack?"

Laura laughed, "Impatient are we? Let me get to the point, this is what I pulled last night, nothing bad happened last night right?"

"Actually, you could say something did, yes"

"Hmn... I thought so..." Laura looked at Ralph and then took all the cards and handed them to Ralph, "would you mind shuffling this? I want to see something"

Ralph, although confused obliged and shuffled them well, "can you really tell what's going to happen with these cards?"

"I know this sounds weird, but yes... I can. I've done it before... I do it all the time" She avoided eye contact, and began to pick up her cards from the floor and then grinned "It's a gift"

"I see. You must be a good... what are you?" He then blushed when he realized how insulting that sounded and was quick to apologize.

Laura burst out laughing, "I'm ... Laugh ...a ... Laugh ... Practitioner of the ... the Laugh dark arts" She couldn't help it, she couldn't even finish her sentence without laughing in-between words, "Do you know how stupid that sounds out loud?"

Ralph turned crimson, "get on with it".

Laura then suddenly became very quiet. She looked beyond Ralph and stared. It wasn't too long before Ralph realized Laura was listening into something. He quieted down to listen too, and he began to hear a familiar voice. One he recognized, not just the voice, but the tone it was being used in. The voice began to argue with another, first throwing the most modest insults and then growing more obscene as time went on.

"I don't care! I don't want you even LOOKING at him. He's mine!"

"What do you mean YOURS? You aren't even going out with him! How can he be yours then?"

"Because ...well... SHUT UP! You mother fucking piece of shit"

Ralph then began to think about what had happened that morning. It was jack's voice he knew that for sure... but who could the other voice possibly be? He heard this voice somewhere... The somewhere he had heard it was the island.

Roger.

Could Jack possibly be fighting with Roger over Ralph?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ms. Berg walked into her office. It was three o'clock, and she was just waiting for Jack now. "I really hope that he shows up soon," she grimaced. "And for that matter, at all." At that moment Jack walked into the room.

"Sorry, am I late?" Jack puffed. He was out of breath, and his brow was a little damp.

"No, right on time." The teacher stated officially. "Sit down, Hun."

Jack sat, giving Ms. Berg a strange look. She never called him 'Hun" before. He was a little clueless.

Ms. Berg walked over to Jack and placed a kiss on his lips. Jack kissed back. Just at this moment, Ralph came into the office, tears streaming from his face. Jack and Ms. Berg didn't notice Ralph. He just looked on, through his tears, in bewilderment.

Ralph let out a little sob, still crying. Jack and Ms. Berg both jumped at the surprise. They hadn't realized that someone else was there.

"Oh my God." Ms. Berg said, mortified that she had been caught. She grabbed her purse and shoved a wad of money each into Jack and Ralph's hands. "Please don't say anything to anyone, will you Jack, Ralph?"

"Okay," Jack stammered in bewilderment. Ralph just stood there, tears flowing steadily. Jack finally noticed the tears and took Ralph into an embrace. "Ralph, are you that upset that Ms. Berg and I did that?"

"No," Ralph managed to say through his tears. "It's not what you've done, but it's what you need to do." Ralph then collapsed into Jack's arms, and Jack stumbled under the sudden weight. Jack was totally confused. "Can we leave?" Ralph whispered into Jack's ear. His warm breath felt hot and liquid to his senses, driving him wild with passion.

The two boys started for the door. "Thanks for not calling my parents about me, with you finding us this morning and everything." Jack said to Ms. Berg as he walked towards the door.

"You're welcome," she blushed, and said. "Thank you for, not telling anyone about what happened here, okay?" Jack was already out the door, and didn't answer, although she knew he heard her.

The two boys walked into the main foyer of the school, Ralph's soft sobs echoing through the large room. "What's the matter, Ralph?" Jack asked finally.

"Not here," Ralph responded. "I don't want to talk about it here. Wait till we get back to your place."

The two boys walked into the now familiar house at Four Eaton Close in Farnsfield, England. Ralph went in and just went straight for the fridge without asking, like usual. Jack knew that something was really bothering Ralph if he did that. Even though Jack had told him a million times that he could just raid the fridge any time he wanted without asking, he still always did ask.

Ralph pulled out the not-so-hidden bottle of vodka from the back of the fridge. He tore off the top, and took a few swigs, and burped.

"Ralph, will you tell me now what's wrong? You never act like this." Jack said with a worried tone in his voice and a concerned look on his face.

"Not until we call Laura and Shawn and have them over here too." Ralph said, staggering over to the couch, and plopped down with a hiccough.

Jack went into the living room to call the other two friends. This room was decorated more classical, then modern like the kitchen with attached family room. This room had a real homey feel to it. It was a really cozy room with a fireplace along the one wall, and the one adjacent wall was a huge mass of glass paneling. The wall opposite the fireplace was painted a warm crème off-white colour, and a red couch. The other adjacent wall painted the same colour, and decorated with pictures of family and friends.

Jack walked over to the far side of the couch, to the end table where there was a telephone. He picked up the receiver and first dialed Laura's number.

"Hello?" Laura answered the phone. Jack was relieved that she had answered. Laura's parents didn't like boys calling her.

"Hi," Jack responded. "Can you come over, like, right now, and bring Shawn too?" Jack said, his voice ringing with worry.

"Whoa, you sound like a worried mother there, Jackson." Laura said teasing him.

"Look, can you lay off with the names right now? Ralph is really upset about something, and he wants you and Shawn here, before he tells me what's going on. He was bawling earlier, but he's calmed down now. He's calming himself with the vodka."

"Oh, I'll call Shawn and get him right now. We'll be there in ten minutes. And take that goddamn booze away from Ralph. We don't need him drunk when he's telling us what wrong. We won't understand him."

"Okay, see you soon." Jack ended the conversation, and put the receiver back down on the base. He walked back into the other room, and over to Ralph. He was just finishing the bottle, draining the last drops of vodka.

"I just called Laura," Jack started.

"What about Shawn?" Ralph queried, stumbling over a few of his words.

"She's getting him on her way over." Jack replied sounding more and more depressed. Ralph was really bringing him down, after what happened with Ms. Berg only half an hour ago. "They'll be here soon."

"Good," Ralph responded, dropping the now empty bottle on the black carpet of the family room. Ralph lay down on the black leather couch, and made himself comfortable. Just at that moment, there was a knock at the door.

Jack went over to the door and opened it. There was Laura and Shawn in the doorway. Laura was wearing a black ensemble, with fishnet stocking arms. Shawn was wearing his usual black leather trench coat, his red hair just reaching his shoulders.

"So, vas gib'st?" Laura asked, in German, meaning 'what's up?'

"I don't know, yet," Jack said, sounding really worried like a mother. "Please, come in." Jack motioned for the two to enter.

"Should we wake him?" Shawn asked, brushing some of his blood red hair out of his face.

"I don't know," Jack responded. "He just finished my bottle of vodka. He'll be absolutely rat-assed."

"I think we should still wake him," Laura stated. The others knew mentally that this had to be done.

Jack walked over to Ralph and knelt down on the carpet next to the couch. "Hunny," Jack cooed softly. Ralph stirred little and moaned. Jack then bent his face a little closer, and placed his soft lips upon Ralph's. Ralph's eyes fluttered opened.

"Hi, there, sweetie." Shawn said kneeling down by Jack. Laura joined them after of a few seconds.

"Ralph, Hunny," Jack cooed.

"Yes?" Ralph replied, sleepily.

"Do you want to tell us, now, what was bothering you?"

Tears started to well up in Ralph's beautiful cinnamon eyes again. "They're dead." Ralph shouted in frustration. "Car ... cliff ... instant ... death ..." Ralph managed to whisper between his sobs. "I'm just absolutely Gob smacked! Why me?" Ralph again screamed in frustration at his situation.

Shawn's vision went blurry as his purple eyes filled with tears. Laura went to Shawn to comfort him. He didn't take deaths easily, even if he didn't really know the person who died.

"So, does that mean that you're going to have to move again? Move in with some family member?" Jack asked, his emotions running wild at the thought that he might lose his love.

"Fortunately not," Ralph said, his tears starting let up. "There is no one left in the word with the Varley name but me." Ralph tried to stand up, but his attempt failed and his butt ended up on an end table. "I remember my parents once telling me, that if I wasn't eight-teen when they died, I'd have to be adopted by someone at of at least twenty years of age, and had a good enough income to support me."

"You can come stay with me, Ralph." Laura jumped in right away. "There isn't really and room, and you and I might have to share a room, maybe even a bed -"

"Laura," Ralph interrupted. "I was thinking maybe that Jack's parents could adopt me, and I could live here with Jack, there's plenty of room here. Jack's got two spare bedrooms."

Jack's heart leapt at the idea of Ralph moving in with him. He had all these visions of them in bed together, kissing and cuddling, among other things. (Yes, I am talking about that which might happen in a later chapter. You'll just have to wait and see.)

"Or that too," Laura said. She wasn't upset that Ralph had chosen Jack over her. She knew that there was more room there, and he'd be better off there as well, plus the fact that she really wanted to see Ralph and Jack get together. She thought that they made the perfect couple. "Yeah, that'll be cool, since Shawn and I are always over here, it's not like I'd never get to see you."

"Umm, yeah, guys," Jack started. "What if my parents don't want to adopt him?"

Ralph's heart sank at this note. 'Why did Jack have to spoil the moment?' Ralph thought

"I'm sure that they will, Ralph," Jack saw the depressed look in Ralph's big cinnamon eyes. "Why don't I call them now?" Jack walked over to the kitchen, and picked up the cordless phone and made his way back to the living room where the others were. He sat down beside Ralph, and dialed his parent's number.

Shawn who had been crying was now collecting his senses and was pacing around the small room with anticipation of what would happen. He felt as if it was his parent's whom had died, and he was going to live with Jack, not that he wouldn't have liked to.

"Hello?" Jack said into the phone after a few seconds. "Yes, hello Gordon? It's Jack. Yes I'd like to speak with my mother." Jack waited another few seconds until his mother got to the phone.

Jack explained the whole situation to his mother, who seemed to listen to her son, for once in her boring life.

"So, you will?" Jack asked into the telephone with excitement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Yes, I love you too mum. Yes, mother. I change them every day. All right. Okay. Thank you mother, good- bye." Jack hung up the phone. "Well, hello, roomy." Jack said to Ralph. Ralph still drink grabbed Jack and hugged him tight, not realizing that he was kissing Jack's neck.

"Well, Ralph's asleep in his new room." Laura said as she came down the stairs to re-join the other two boys. "Umm, Jack, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Today at school, Ralph and I overheard you and Roger, umm, talking." Laura said nervously.

Jack's face lost all colour. "You did?" He asked. "So, you know that Roger likes him too?"

"Whoa! Roger swings that way?" Shawn questioned in shock.

"Apparently." Jack answered. "You wouldn't believe what he told me. He said that he had a crush in Ralph when we were on the island."

Shawn and Laura were dumbfounded. Not just at what Jack had just said, but that Jack had mentioned the island. He never talked about the island. He didn't even like mentioning the island.

"He told me that if we had caught him, he would have raped him, and then killed him, and then rape the carcass again." Jack said, shuddering at his mental image of his Ralph's body with no head, being fucked by Roger.

"Does Ralph even know you like him?" Shawn questioned the other boy.

"I don't know. Things happened last night in the Music Room, yeah, but I don't know if he really likes me. He didn't say anything when I kissed him to wake him, but he was drunk then, so I'm not surprised at that." Jack crossed his legs on the ebony cowhide that made his couch.

"Oh my God. I can't believe that." Shawn stated. "Roger is like that." Jack and Laura laughed at Shawn. Sometimes he was a little slow, like this for example.

"So, what are you going to do about Roger?" Laura asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just going to have to let Ralph figure things out, like, whether he wants to be with me for Roger, or with a guy at all. He might not be like that."

"Roger?" Shawn said.

"Would you just give it up?" Laura smacked Shawn upside the head.

"Whaa?" Shawn whined in protest.

Laura was getting a little agitated. She looked at her watch. "Oh my God! Is it really that late?" She asked rhetorically. Her watch read ten o'clock. "I gotta get home. Shawn will you walk me?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ralph stirred in his new bed. It was a queen, with rich blood red silk sheets, the same colour as Shawn's hair. The duvet cover was a patchwork of black and red leather, which was sewn together with a tan coloured hemp twine. The bed itself was a four-poster. It had a black wrought iron frame, and from the top, red velvet curtains draped the bed in splendour. Ralph's cinnamon eyes flickered open, and he looked around the room. The walls were painted black, and there was red carpet on the floor, and the ceiling had been painted to match the floor. Every few feet along the walls there was a black wrought iron wall chandelier, holding three red candles each, comprising of nine fixtures, and twenty-seven candles in the room, each flame softly burning casting an eerie glow. The furniture was also red, with black pewter handles. In the centre of the ceiling, there was another piece of black wrought iron that had crystal teardrops hanging form it. This was electric, the only electric light in the room, and the light bulbs were false candle flames, that didn't throw much light anyways. Ralph was blown away by how ornate the room was, even for only having two colours.

Ralph looked over at the clock. It was 6.30 in the morning. He decided to get up, and get ready for school. He walked over to the blinds and opened them, to get a blast of sunlight in his face. He squinted and made his way back to the bed, and sat on the side. Ralph felt a little cold, and just then he realized he was naked. I don't remember going to bed. Ralph thought. So then I was brought here, and undressed by someone.

Ralph got up and dressed himself, and then walked down the hall and down stairs to the kitchen. He saw that Jack was sleeping on the couch. He looks so cute. Ralph thought. I just want to go over there and - wait a second! What the fuck am I thinking? I'm got gay, am I? Ralph was getting worried. He knew that he was at the point of his life where certain changes happened, but he didn't think that things were going to go like this.

Ralph decided to make some breakfast for the two of them. He was whipping around the kitchen, grabbing eggs, and onions and peppers and tomatoes and ham and bacon. He was really cooking up a storm, he was whipping eggs and frying onions and bacon together, with the ham and peppers. He took the whipped eggs and poured them into the fry pan with all the other ingredients.

Jack started to stir on the couch. "Mom? I though I told you that I don't need you here to cook for me. I can do it myself."

"C'mon you sleepyhead," Ralph said. Jack sat bolt right up when Ralph's sweet candy voice reached his ears. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Jack dragged himself off the couch. As he walked towards the bathroom he saw that Ralph was making freshly squeezed juice. He really is a great guy. I think this relationship is going to be way more then just sex. Jack had a big happy grin on his face when he returned to the kitchen.

Jack sat at down at the table and looked at the feast that had been placed in front of him. There were omelets, lamb sausages, bacon, baked tomatoes, baked potatoes, and roasted vegetables, and a cheese spread.

"Wow! I didn't even know that I had all this stuff in the house!" Jack exclaimed.

"Most of it was in the freezer. You have quite a lot of food in there." Ralph answered, his cinnamon eyes glowing with pride. Ralph walked over to Jack, and let his passions run free, and kissed him on the cheek. Jack immediately blushed, very happy that Ralph was coming around to his way of life.

"Wow, that was an amazing breakfast," Jack said. "I haven't eaten like this for eight months, when I got my own place away from home. Our cook was really amazing. I don't know if you've heard of him or not. He's supposed to be really famous. His name is Jamie Oliver.

Ralph's jaw dropped. "You mean the Jamie Oliver from the cooking shows 'The Naked Chef' and 'Oliver's Twist'?"

"Yes, the very one. His shows didn't do so well, and his restaurant went bankrupt, and he needed a job so..."

"I loved his show, I watched it all the time. It's a pity that he didn't do any better." Ralph added, as he cleared the table, putting dishes in the dishwasher, and left over food in containers. "You better go get ready for school, Jack. It's almost 7.30 and we have to leave by eight."

Jack got up, walked over to Ralph and gave him a hug. "Thanks for breakfast, Ralph."

"No problem. Cooking's what I live for." Ralph said, being very humble toward the compliment.

Jack went up to his room. His room wasn't as wild as the spare room where Ralph was staying. It was more chic and modern, like a New York loft. The walls were eggshell, and had many light fixtures upon them. The floor was also done in a white marble tile with veins of black and grey running through them. The bed was placed along the centre of the back wall, between two gorgeous brushed steel fixtures that had frosted glass in them. Behind the bed there was a giant canvas, serving as a headboard that was painted with earthy tones of terra cotta, tones of red and orange, blended for a granular and stone like vision. The side tables and armoire were a light, almost smoky lilac, colour of pine, and the drawers had a semi- translucent front to them. On the walls, between the lights, and sometimes below them, there was artwork, all of which had been done by Laura. Jack adored Laura's artwork, and insisted that she never threw any out, and that if she didn't want it, to give it to him.

The ceiling was a giant mass glass, supported by metal, with a brushed steel finish as well, giving the room an industrious hospital look, which Jack thoroughly enjoyed. At the top middle of each wall, was a halogen spotlight, which shone out through the glass roof at night, but still reflected enough to light the room. Since it was morning, the room was filled with glorious shades of orange and pinks and magentas and blues, reflected from the sky above the glass roof.

Jack undressed and walked into en suite bathroom. This bathroom was made in such a way that the showerhead was in the middle of the ceiling, and there really was no designated shower area. The entire bathroom was the shower. All the fixtures, from the sink, to the circular basin type bathtub, and the toilet were stainless steel, and the floor was a black, rolled steel floor. In this room, the walls were totally marble, and there was another sky light, above the tub.

Jack turned on the water and let it get warm and then stepped along the cold steel floor, and under the warm water. I just don't know what to do about Ralph. He thought to himself as he washed his hair, the soap and water running off of his golden strands, down his muscular chest, around his thighs and down to his feet, before going down the drain. I can't tell if he's made his decision of his orientation, or not. Jack was thinking about Ralph, big cinnamon eyes, his cute little ears, which he thought could use a few piercings, and his soft muscular arms, and his slightly toned chest, and his abs, which were just visible underneath his skin.

Jack soon realized that thinking about Ralph was making him rather horny, and he was wishing that Ralph would explore him all over, like the water that was jetting from the ceiling. Jack quickly pleasured himself, and then turned off the water to the shower.

Downstairs, in the kitchen, Ralph had just taken his clothes out of the dryer and put them on. He had to wash them because he had worn them yesterday, and he hadn't been to his house yet to get his belongings. He glanced at the microwave to see the time, and saw it was already ten to eight. I might as well go, he thought. Who knows how long Jack could be. Ralph took out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a note explaining what he had done, and left it on the kitchen table. Ralph grabbed his school bag and headed out the door.

Jack came down the stairs soon after, calling for Ralph.

"Ralph, Ralph? Yo, dip-wad? Are you there?" Jack called out to the empty house. He noticed the note on the table, and read it aloud.

_Dear Jack, I'm sorry to have left you before you were ready for school, bit I didn't know how long you were going to be, and I didn't want to be late for school. I packed you a lunch, and it's in the fridge, in a brown paper bag, next to the milk._

Love, always, Ralph.  
  
Jack pocketed the note, and opened the fridge and grabbed the brown bag, right next to the milk as Ralph has said, and stuffed it in his bag and headed out the door.

Ralph walked into the crowded lunch area, and canteen. Today, the cafeteria was serving Sloppy Joes and fries, with a selection of coleslaw, macaroni salad, or potato salad, a nice selection, but expensive, none the least, four dollars. He had a packed lunch, as it was, the same as Jack had. Left over sausage from breakfast, and freshly baked rolls with butter. Ralph really was a wizard in the kitchen. Ralph soon spotted an empty table, and went and sat down. He pulled out his sausage and buns and nibbled away at them. He wasn't really hungry; because of the fest he had had that morning.

On the other side of the room, Roger entered, and was also looking for a seat to eat his lunch. He saw that Ralph was sitting alone, away from Jack, and he seized the opportunity to make a move on him.

"Hey there," Roger said as he sat down right next to Ralph. How have you been? I haven't seen you since," Roger paused as if afraid to say it. "Since the island. You know, I wasn't going to hurt you, well not much. They had planned to cut off your head, if and when they caught you. I didn't want to do that to you." This talking about the island was really bothering Ralph, but Roger wasn't paying attention to Ralph's facial expressions which were telling all that needed to be known about his twisted feelings towards that goddamn fucking island. "I was going to keep you safe, and make you mine." Roger said as he moved closer to Ralph and put an arm around him. "You were the most beautiful goddamn thing on that fucking island. I just wanted to fuck your brains out." Ralph pulled away in shock and horror to have learned that Roger wanted to rape him when he had been thirteen. This time Roger did see the look upon his crushes' face. "I will be gentle, unless you want me to be rough." Roger then grabbed Ralph and forced his lips upon the others', and forced his tongue into Ralph's mouth.

Ralph bit down hard, and he tasted blood. Roger shrieked like a little schoolgirl, and the entire cafeteria went silent to see what had happened. Just at that moment Jack walked into the room, and saw Roger pulling away from Ralph's lips, blood dripping from both mouths. Jack ran past a group of girls who were whispering, and bolted straight for Roger.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?" Jack's booming voice rung throughout the echoing cafeteria. Jack went to throw a punch at Roger, but he had disappeared. "That fucking ass hole, the next time I see him,"

"No, Jack, it's okay. Him doing that to me just made me think about things, it's okay, really." Ralph defended Roger. "C'mon, lets get outta here."

The two boys left the cafeteria, which was still eerily silent. They went out the front doors of the school, and headed towards the library.

"Can he go somewhere private?" Jack asked Ralph, as they went out the front doors of the school.

"Sure," Ralph responded. "How private?"

"I was thinking that we could go into the washrooms over at the pool."

"You're not going to do to me what Roger just did, are you?"

"Of course not," Jack said, wiping some dried flaking blood from Ralph's chin. "I wouldn't do that to you, unless you wanted to."

"Thanks, Jack." Ralph still wasn't sure about himself. Was he gay? It was all so confusing for him.

The two boys entered into the building that was next door to the school, and went into the public bathroom together. Immediately, Ralph broke down, fell into Jack's arms and cried.

"I can't do this, Jack," Ralph whispered. "I miss them so much, and people aren't helping, even though I know that they are trying to help. It's just frustrating."

"I think I know what you mean, Hunny." Jack whispered back, comfortingly. "When I first moved away from home, and was on my own, I" Jack paused a moment. "I cried too, because I was so alone." Jack let a single tear gently roll down his cheek. "But you're not going to be alone, I'm here for you, and always will be. Never you mind what happened on that God forsaken island, I'm here for you now." He gave Ralph a little squeeze.

Jack was really falling for him, and he could tell. He never admitted to anyone that he had cried when he left home. Not even to his own mother, whom he had missed so dearly.

Ralph was feeling a lot better now that Jack had talked to him. Jack was the only person in the world that Ralph could really call family, and not just because Jack's parents had adopted him, but also because they had become such good friends in the three days that Ralph had been at this new school. Ralph hoisted himself up, and sat himself on the sink in the washroom. His was now at eye lever with Jack, who was taller, when standing. Ralph pulled Jack closer to him, somewhat straddling him, as he sat on the sink, and pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Jack I think," Ralph started. "I think," He couldn't say it, so he expressed it. He pulled Jack into him, and pressed their lips together, locking them in passion.

The two boys were experiencing the most passionate thing that they had ever endured, until then, at least. Ralph lightly pressed his tongue against Jacks lips in the middle of the kiss and Jack opened his mouth to let the other in. Ralph's tongue explored Jack's mouth, feeling the soft flesh inside, their tongues softly rubbing, making the other feel better and better with every touch.

Jack let a quick little moan then broke off the kiss. "Want to see what I got earlier this period?" He asked Ralph, lifting up his shirt to expose his perfectly muscular chest. On his upper torso, on the left side was a big red heart, with a name in the middle.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Look out, coming through!" someone yelled, leading Roger to the nurse's office. "We got a bleeder here!"

The two boys crashed through the door into the office, blood dripping everywhere.

"What the hell happened?" the school nurse said, pulling down her little white skirt that kept rising up on her. She hated the classic nurse uniform, white blouse, white miniskirt, with white stockings and the little white hat with a red cross. "Get him up on the table now! Someone call a janitor in here to clean this blood off the floor too." Then she added, "Don't forget the ambulance too! This might be serious!"

The short plump secretary picked up the phone, and dialed 9-1-1. Meanwhile, in the nurse's office, there was a bustle of activity going on. There was blood on the floor, on Ms. Powell, the nurse, and all over the student that brought Roger into the office. Ms. Powell was running about her office looking for cotton gauze.

"Of course I just had to rearrange my office yesterday!" she scolded herself as she finally found the gauze in the top drawer on the left side of the desk. She took it and wrapped it around Roger's tongue. "Here," she instructed, "keep this on your tongue, with firm pressure until it stops bleeding, and if it doesn't, which is a good chance, we'll have to send you off to the hospital for surgery."

Roger's eyes went wide at the sound of the last word that had escaped Ms. Powell's lips.

"Have any of you guys seen Ralph today?" Jack asked Shawn and Laura as he walked into the 'secret room' where the teens hung out at school. "I haven't seen him since I went to bed last night. I think what happened with Roger yesterday is really bugging him."

"No, I haven't," Laura responded first.

"Neither have I," Shawn added.

"Shit. I really hope he's okay. Poor kid has had so much tragedy in his life; the island, and now this. He just keeps losing everything that he has. I guess I'm really all he has left." Jack was almost it tears.

"Oh, Jack," Laura took him into an embrace to try to comfort him. It was really bugging him, because of this. He didn't want Ralph to do something that he might regret. "Maybe he's at home?" Laura suggested.

"Let's hope so." Jack took off for his house. He came tearing in through the door, and looked around for any sign that Ralph was in the house. He didn't see his shoes or his bag, or anything. He went tearing up the stairs, and went to Ralph's room. He went into the dark red and black room, and ripped the sheets off the bed, hoping that he would be in them, but he wasn't. Jack next ran into his own white room, tears streaming down his face. There was no sign on Ralph being in the room either. Jack then thought to go look in the bathroom. He threw himself into his en suite, and found Ralph. There was red on the floor, and Ralph was unconscious in the bathtub. Jack started to sob a little more, and the noise made Ralph stir.

"Jack, is that you?" Ralph whimpered in a soft voice.

"Yes, it's me, Ralph!" Jack exclaimed, pulling Ralph's naked body from the tub. There were small incisions on Ralph's arm. Jack then noticed a small razor in the bottom of the tub. Jack bent closer to examine the cuts. They weren't shallow at all, but it was meant to be.

"Jack, I'm so scared. I don't know what to do anymore." Ralph clung his body to Jack's. He started to cry. Jack didn't know what to do either. He'd never dealt with someone trying to kill themselves before. He didn't know whether to call his mom, or the paramedics, or to go get Shawn and Laura. "I want my mom and dad!" Ralph was sobbing into Jack's shoulder. It was hard to understand what he was saying.

"I know you do, Hunny, but you can't. They're gone. I know this has got to be so hard, but you got to be strong! I'll always be here for you. Don't worry about what's going on with Roger, or anyone else. All that matters is you and me, alright?"

"I guess so," Ralph sniffed to keep his nose from running onto Jack's shirt. "Jack, I've been thinking about a lot of things lately. Mostly about you and me."

"What's up, darling?" Jack's shirt was turning red from the blood that was slowly leaking from Ralph's cuts.

"Jack, I ..." just then Ralph fell unconscious.

Ralph could hear some noises. There was a rustling in the room, as if someone was tossing and turning in a chair, trying to sleep. He opened his eyes, but he couldn't see anything. The room was dark, and the curtains were drawn.

"Jack?" Ralph called out into the darkness. "Jack, are you there?"

"Huh?" a groggy voice answered from the other side of the room. "What's going on, who's there?"

"Jack, where am I?" Ralph called back into the darkness. His eyes were now adjusting to the light somewhat, and he could make out the figure of Jack sitting in the chair on the other side of the room.

"Ralph? You're awake?" Jack jumped from the chair where he was sitting to Ralph's side. He flicked on a light. Ralph could see the blood on Jack's shirt.

"Jack! Oh my god, are you hurt? Why is there blood all over you?" Ralph was in hysterics that is best friend could be hurt.

"We're not here because of me." Jack answered back. "We're here because of you. This is your blood on me, not my own." Ralph then realized that he was the one in the bed, in a little paper hospital gown. There were gauze bandages wrapped abound his arms where he had cut himself.

"What's happened to me? I don't remember anything except that Roger tried to kiss me. Then you took me into the bathroom over at the pool to calm me down. You showed me a tattoo...with my name in it. Things were just happening all so fast for me. I was so confused. I don't know what I did after I left the bathroom with you."

"That's what happened." Jack explained. "Then, I guess, you ran home, and you did this to yourself." Jack could feel his eyes welling up with tears. "What the fuck were you thinking? Why would you want to kill yourself? Do you want to leave me? Think about all of the rest of us, Shawn and Laura included, that would have to deal with your death! We all love you very dearly, Ralph, and we're all here to do anything for you. Ralph," a tear fell from Jack's face onto Ralph's hand. "I love you."


End file.
